The invention relates to concrete construction and in particular to a monocoque concrete construction wherein a layer of fortified concrete applied to a core structure of expanded foam forms a load bearing shell.
According to the monocoque concrete construction technique described in my prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/570,754, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,649, light weight foam blocks or panels are arranged on a previously formed concrete foundation to form the various walls, floors and/or roof of the house. Openings for doors and windows are cut into the foam panels and subsequently the foam panels are sprayed or hand troweled on both sides with fortified concrete to form a double monocoque concrete structure. The concrete contains polymer additives to facilitate adhesion to the foam panels and the foundations, and also contains fibers and other additives to increase the concrete flexural and impact strength as well as toughness, fatigue, strength and resistance to cracking. Once set, the concrete forms monocoque shells which constitute load bearing shells for the house structure while the foam panels with their excellent insulating characteristics are sandwiched between the monocoque concrete shells.
In the course of further developing the double monocoque concrete construction technique, it has been discovered that a variety of conventional construction materials can be integrated with the double monocoque concrete panels to provide added strength to the various construction components, such as the walls, floors and roof, and to provide greater versatility for forming the details of the housing structure including door and window openings, while maintaining the low cost nature of the housing and optimizing the time required to complete the finished structure.